Wind-engine



.(No Model.) X

H. CROFT, Jr.

- WIND ENGINE. .No.261,535. Patented Ju1y25, 1882.

- UNITED STATES PATENT cam.

HENRY CROFT, JR., )F- SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

WIND-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 261,535, dated July 25,1882.

' Application filed May 20,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,,HENRY CROFT, Jr., a

4 citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the countyof Clarke and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in VVind-Eugines, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention relates to that class of windengines having verticalwind-wheels which are used fo'r pumping purposes and running lightmachinery.

The improvement consists in an automatic brake for looking the wheelwhenever the hinged tail-vane is brought around at right angles, orsubstantially so, to the axis of the wind-wheel, the object of bothfeatures of my invention being to secure lightness of construction,combined with the greatest strength and efficiency.

The novelty consists in the construction and application of an automaticbrake which is actuated by the tail-vane or its hinge to lock and stopthe wind-wheel wheneveritis thrown out of the wind, all as will beherewith set forth and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view'of so much ofa,,wind-engine as is necessary to illustrate my invention, and showingthe parts in running position-that is, with the tail-vane in line withthe axis of the windwheel. Fig. 2 is a corresponding view with thetail-vane at right angles to the axis ot'the wind-wheel and the brakelocked thereby.

i in all the figures.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of aportion of the wind-wheel, showing theapplication of the sail-supporting arms.

The same reterence-letters refer to like parts A A, Fig. 3, representthe sails of the windwheel, which are in the form of segments, and madeof sheet metal, stiffened, if desired, by arim or transverse ribsapplied to their backs in any suitable manner. These sails are bolted orriveted by means of bracket-lugs a to the inverted-U-shaped radial armsB, in the manner shown, though I do not limit myself to the method ofattachment.

The arms B are formed of flat com parativel y thin bar-iron-say of aninch and a quarter by five-sixteenthsin size-bent in thei'orm shown, soas to have their radial portions substanwork of the wheel; but forordinary usages these would not be required.

G represents any suitable turn-table, having the socket-extension H forthe wheel shaft or spindle F, and having the rear bracket-lugs, I,between which the tail vane socket J is hinged. This socket, which ishinged-in the usual or any suitable manner at c, is provided withshoulders 01 and e, which take against or come in contact with thedivision-wallf, or any portion of the turn-table to form stops in theordinary manner for both extreme positions of the tail-vanefone of whichis shown in Fig. 1, the other in Fig. 2.

Uponthe extension H is pivoted at lahorizontal arm, K, preferably ofmetal, with a socket at oneend, .into which is fitted anextension-piece, L, preferably ot' springy wood,

though, if desired, both pieces might be of the same material, eitherwood or metal, in one piece. In the side of this pivoted lever, at ornear its end, is a recess into which is fitted a block, m, of rubber,wood, or other material, which, when the lever is operated, comes incontact with the disk D, either on its face or periphery, and acts, byfrictional contact, as a brake to lock the disk and prevent therevolution of the wind-wheel when the same is thrown out of the wind. Toaccomplish the automatic locking of this brake, the arm L should extendout somewhat beyond the periphery of the disk D, as shown, anduponitsouter end is adjustably secured a slidingblock, g, held at any desiredposition by the set-screw h. From this block extends a link or rod, 1',

which is connected by means of a-cord, wire, or chain,j, to the side ofthe hinged socket J, or to any part of the tail-vane, as may be desired.Now,when the tail-vane is in linewith the axis of the wind-wheel, asshown in Fig. 1, there is considerable slack in the chain j,

parts if there were no yielding.

and the brake is out of contact with he disk D; but whenever thetail-vane is fbrought around at right angles, or substantially so, tothe axis of the wind-wheel the slack of the chainj is taken up, and theadjustment of the parts is such that as the shoulder 6 comes nearly intocontact with the stopfthe brakelever will be actuated and the block onwill be tightly locked against the disk D. It will be seen that theremust be some elasticity somewhere, or else the sudden swinging of thetailvane would be apt to break one or more of the I get this elasticityeither in the springing of the extension L, when it is of wood orspringy metal, or else in the block m, when it is of rubber, or in bothways, if desired.

It is an essential feature that the chain or connecting device j shouldbe attached to the tail-vane or socket J at a point in the rear of itspivot 0, so that in taking up the slack and actuating the brake theshoulder at of the socket J, or some other portion of the swingingparts, becomes a fulcrum, and thus creates a very powerful compoundleverage, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 2. This would not be the caseit the chain were not drawn around the hinge of the tail-vane.

Instead of using the sliding block g, the chain or connecting-link mightbe secured in holes in the arm L, so as to regulate the amount of slackat any time.

It may also be found desirable to use a stop, a, or equivalent device,to prevent the brakelever from swinging too far back when the lock isreleased.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. The combination,with a wind-wheel and its hinged or pivoted tail-vane, of a pivotedbrake arm orlever arranged substantially parallel to the wheel-hub,extending beyond the same, and having its end directly connected to thetail-vane at a point in rear of its pivot by means of a chain orequivalent device, whereby in automatically actuating the brake thechain or equivalent device is drawn around the hinge of the tail-vaneand a compoundleverage secured thereby, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with the pivoted brakelever and the tail-vane, of thelink i or equivalent device made adjustable upon the brakelever, for thepurpose specified.

3. The pivoted brake-lever K L, having a yielding or elastic part in itsconstruction, in combination with the adjustable link i, chain j, andtail-vane J.

HENRY CROFT, JR.

Witnesses:

J ERIE. F. TWOHIG, Gus. A MEYERS.

